To delineate the individual role of follicular dendritic cells (FDC) and T cells at each stage of GC B cell differentiation at the clonal level and to analyze the signals required for the differentiation, we developed an experimental model using an FDC line, HK and a lymphoma cell line, L3055 for centroblasts. Phenotypic analysis of L 3055 revealed its origin of GC and the homogeneity. L3055 cells undergo spontaneous apoptosis when cultured in the absence of HK cells. L3055 cells proliferate continuously in the presence of HK cells, while they differentiate into a population with the phenotype of centrocytes after stimulation with CD40 ligand (CD 40L) plus IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10. L3055 undergo anti-Ig-mediated apoptosis, which is not protected by HK but by CD40L and the cytokines. These experimental results suggest that FDC provide signals for the survival and rapid proliferation of centroblasts and T cells trigger the differentiation of centroblasts into centrocytes.
Apoptosis ; CD40 Ligand ; Cell Differentiation* ; Cell Line ; Cytokines ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Germinal Center* ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-2 ; Interleukin-4 ; Lymphoma ; Models, Theoretical ; Phenotype ; T-Lymphocytes

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common clinical arrhythmia. AF may cause disabling symptoms and serious adverse effects, such as impairment of cardiac function or thromboembolic events. Until now, there were no study about the clinical characteristics of atrial fibrillation throughout this nations. The purpose of this study is a establishment of epidemiologic database of patients with atrial fibrillation in this nations. METHODS: 867 patients from 12 university hospitals were involved in this study. Atrial fibrillation were diagnosed with documented ECG in all patients. Medical history, physical findings, basic Laboratory finding, ECG, echocardiography and 24-hour Holter monitoring of these patients were evaluated. Chronic atrial fibrillation were defined as the duration of AF longer than 72 hours regardless of intervention. RESULTS: In patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, the most common symptom was dyspnea and the most common associated diseases were valvular heart disease, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. 2) In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, the most common symptoms were palpitation, dizziness and chest pain, and the most common associated diseases were hypertension, ischemic heart disease and valvular heart disease. 3) left atrial size, systolic and diastolic left ventricular size in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation were significantly increased as compared those in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (p<0.001). 4) cardiomegaly and pulmonary edema were more common in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study is first large multicenter study about atrial fibrillation in this nations. These data can be used as basic data for follow up and management of atrial fibrillation.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Cardiomegaly ; Chest Pain ; Dizziness ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Electrocardiography, Ambulatory ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Joints* ; Korea* ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Edema

No abstract available.
Hamartoma*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Doxycycline*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the tubal patency in the young-aged women underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with Fitz-High-Curtis Syndrome (FHCS). METHODS: Clinicopathologic results of young-aged women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with pelvic inflammatory disease from March 2005 through April 2007 were reviewed. Twenty six patients aged 19-29 years old and preserved their both tubes after diagnostic laparoscopy were included in this study. All were underwent chromopertubation test (CPT) during laparoscopy and postoperative hysterosalpingography (HSG) 3 months later. RESULTS: Of 26 patients, eight patients were diagnosed with FHCS and the others were not. There was no significant difference in mean age, mean hospitalization days, and frequency in past-history of parturition, abortion, chlamydia and gonococci infection between patients with FHCS and with non-FHCS (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in frequency of tubal obstruction in laparoscopic CPT (P>0.05) but not in postoperative outpatient HSG (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The tubal obstruction may be more frequent in FHCS than non-FHCS and the reliability of laparoscopic CPT for diagnosing the tubal obstruction is supposed to be low. Therefore, as for FHCS patients, HSG should be executed to investigate tubal factor which is helpful to forecast the fertility.
Aged ; Chlamydia ; Fallopian Tube Diseases ; Female ; Fertility ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography ; Laparoscopy ; Outpatients ; Parturition ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

No abstract available.
Immunotherapy ; Melanoma*

No abstract available.
Bowen's Disease* ; Carcinoma, Merkel Cell*

Morgellons disease is a rare disease with unknown etiology. Herein, we report the first case of Morgellons disease in Korea. A 30-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of pruritic erythematous patches and erosions on the arms, hands, and chin. She insisted that she had fiber-like materials under her skin, which she had observed through a magnifying device. We performed skin biopsy, and observed a fiber extruding from the dermal side of the specimen. Histopathological examination showed only mild lymphocytic infiltration, and failed to reveal evidence of any microorganism. The polymerase chain reaction for Borrelia burgdorferi was negative in her serum.
Adult ; Arm ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biopsy ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; Chin ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Korea ; Morgellons Disease* ; Nerve Fibers, Myelinated ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rare Diseases ; Skin

Mesotherapy was first introduced in France by Pistor in 1952. This is a widely used technique of intradermal or subcutaneous microinjections of a highly diluted drug, or cocktail of drugs. The use of mesotherapy is commonplace in medicine, especially in painful disorders of the locomotory apparatus. The technique has also been employed in cutaneous affections and esthetical conditions such as keloids and hypertrophic scars, acne, psoriasis, vitiligo, wrinkles, alopecia areata and hair loss, cellulitis, lipodystrophy, obesity, telangiectasias, lymphedemas, peripheral vascular diseases, and leg ulcers. A 24-year-old woman presented with painful eczematous subcutaneous nodules located at the points where mesotherapy had been applied. Histologically, it showed panniculitis with acute inflammation, aggregation of neutrophils, and fat necrosis. We report an unusual case of panniculitis after mesotherapy.
Acne Vulgaris ; Alopecia Areata ; Cellulitis ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; Fat Necrosis ; Female ; France ; Hair ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Keloid ; Leg Ulcer ; Lipodystrophy ; Lymphedema ; Mesotherapy* ; Microinjections ; Neutrophils ; Obesity ; Panniculitis* ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Psoriasis ; Telangiectasis ; Vitiligo ; Young Adult